Quote - Slowly i'm getting annoyed with posers limitations so i'm trying to move on and learn Vue, and Bryce (still afraid), so i can move with the times.

Anna, I hate to tell you, but Vue and Bryce fall into the same category as Poser.

If you were to tell someone you use Bryce or Vue, you'd get the exact same reaction from Maya, Lightwave, 3DMax users.

I do find it pretty interesting that it seems okay to buy meshes for Maya and render with those models (do NOT try to tell me that every Maya user models every mesh in their scenes themselves because that's simply not true) and with bought / freebie textures... and say it's "Professional" but if I do the same thing in Poser - it's not.

I can turn out a pretty basic Maya render and make it look half way decent. (Well I could, but I don't have the student version installed anymore). I could do the same thing with Lightwave or 3DMax.
And if I said it was done in Max, no one would quibble about it, regardless where the model came from.
Fact is, I can turn out better looking 2D Renders with Poser, because I know Poser a lot better than I do any of the others.
Those who can use Maya/LW/Max to turn out spectacular things - great. You have superior skills to me IN THOSE PROGRAMS. I probably have superior skills in Poser to someone who is used to Maya. They won't be able to do what I do, just like I can't do what they do.

But alas... Poser users are the inferior species.

I did a search for some Maya stuff of hobbyists -

http://www.walkondown.com/sculpture/gazelle.htm

and for poser

http://www.teknoresoinfo.com/megatron/Mmix/img6.gif

It all depends on the USER of the program and their skill level. It doesn't matter which software you use, if the end result is what you wanted to achieve.
But no, the CG Community will always pat a very basic Maya user on the back when he/she/it renders a freebie model, while saying that there is a button in Poser to "Make Art".
There is a lack of understanding that it takes no skill to produce rubbish in EITHER software package, but if you want to produce something good... it takes skill, regardless of which program you choose.

I can very easily say "Sure I use Maya" but the fact is, I can't produce anything near as good as I can in Poser - because I don't have the skill to do it... in Maya. I could learn, but Poser is just fine and dandy for what I do. There is no point belittling the fact that someone uses Poser to create stunning images, just as there is no point praising someone who uses Maya to produce rubbish.

Just to clarify - Maya / Max can do much MUCH more than Poser, that is a given. But only in the right hands. Most of the actual snobs out there who wrinkle their noses at Poser users do not fall into the "right hands" category. In fact, a friend of a friend is an animator, using Maya. We met at a party and got chatting. Funny, he wasn't belittling Poser at all. He said if the tool produces what you want - go for it. That to achieve the look and feel of Maya animation involves a LOT of very expensive plugins, massive manpower and a huge amount of expertise. He Animates. He does not texture. He said he couldn't texture worth squat, but he can animate with the best of them.

So there you have it. The really really GOOD stuff Maya can do - is very rarely done by one person. Most people simply do not have that kind of skill on all levels.

Silke